This Sunday is Trinity Sunday. Do you know what’s a good analogy for the Trinity? Nothing. God is so far beyond our ability to comprehend Him, much less to express His inner nature in human speech, that all of our attempts to do so fall miserably short. Worse, it’s easy to fall into heresy and idolatry. But these are no excuses for ignoring the life-changing reality of the Holy Trinity.
Tag: Trinity
The Virgin Mary and the Indwelling of the Holy Trinity
Mikhail Nesterov, The Annunciation (19th c.) Christ promises a sort of Trinitarian in-dwelling for those who persevere in love and obedience: “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). The Immaculate Virgin Mary… Continue reading The Virgin Mary and the Indwelling of the Holy Trinity
The Church, the Bible, and the Trinity of Divine Persons
Did you know that the word “person” comes to us through Catholic philosophy and theology? Theatrical masks of Comedy and Tragedy, Roman mosaic, (2nd c.). It’s true, although the word existed before Christianity in a different context. Etymologically, the word “person” originally comes from a Latin word meaning “sounding through” (personare), which referred to actors… Continue reading The Church, the Bible, and the Trinity of Divine Persons
A Catholic Trillema: Why the Church Can’t Just be a “Good Denomination”
C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) C.S. Lewis famously argued that given what Jesus claimed about Himself, He was either Lord, liar, or lunatic — that if He wasn’t God, He couldn’t be considered merely a good man or a moral teacher. Lewis explained in Mere Christianity why this argument is important: I am trying here to prevent anyone… Continue reading A Catholic Trillema: Why the Church Can’t Just be a “Good Denomination”
Understanding Sex Through the Mystery of the Trinity
One of my friends has been trying to explain the Theology of the Body to one of his friends, and asked for a good way to explain what Catholics mean when we say that sex should be “unitive and procreative.” What we mean is that: Unitive: Sex should draw the husband and wife together into… Continue reading Understanding Sex Through the Mystery of the Trinity
The Holy Trinity and the Church: You Can’t Have One Without the Other
Jesus and the Father: Distinct, but Inseparable Yesterday’s Gospel is a great one, and one line of it is pretty famous. It’s John 14:1-12, in which Jesus said to His Disciples: “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in Me. In my Father’s house there are many… Continue reading The Holy Trinity and the Church: You Can’t Have One Without the Other
Is the Mormon Godhead Biblical?
Murdock Wallis has three responses to my post on the Trinity from last week. Helpfully, he divides them up thematically, so I’ll respond to them individually. Here’s his first: The Godhead In the LDS handbook “True to the Faith”, which can be read online at www.lds.org for any readers who would like to see it,… Continue reading Is the Mormon Godhead Biblical?
Where in the Bible is the Trinity?
In the comments of the last post, there’s a lively discussion between myself and a Mormon lawyer named Murdock Wallis (don’t worry, I’m saying lawyer like it’s a good thing here). He asked: I have a question about something in your last post regarding the Trinity. DOES the New Testament talk about the Trinity? If… Continue reading Where in the Bible is the Trinity?
Fr. Robert Barron on the Trinity
One of the best and simplest explanations of the Trinity is explained by Fr. Barron here:He notes that only if you affirm the Trinity can you affirm the notion that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8).